Friday, August 28, 2009

I'm not known for being an overly sensitive person. But my skin is. I don't like wearing jewellery, and the majority of my clothes are made of natural fibres. For that reason, I have always disliked conventional headsets, as I am constantly aware of the wires snagging and tugging my skin/clothing.

So when I was looking for a Bluetooth stereo headset for my iPhone 3GS, I was dismayed to find that most 'wireless' stereo headsets still have wires!

The S9 does not, however comments following online reviews of the unit regularly mention:

1. The intermittent Bluetooth connection.

2. Its susceptibility to sweat.

3. The lack of compatibility with the iPhone.

4. Its poor microphone.

However, I saw a pair of them online for less than £30, so I took the plunge. The set I received contained a charger, a nylon carry bag and an armband that holds my iPhone and a house-key for when I go out running.

Pairing it with my iPhone was simple. The volume and play/pause buttons work fine, but not the next track/last track buttons. I have yet to received a phone call while wearing them, so can't speak for that function, nor have I got them wet.

It is a one-piece unit that loops behind your neck, clamping the earpieces into your lugholes. On a baldy like me the appearance is faintly comical, as if someone has fitted me with a grabhandle. But they sit comfortably enough, WITH NO WIRES!

Build-quality is generally good, but the flap that covers the charger socket fits poorly.

The sound quality is OK, probably on a par with the 'standard' wired iPhone headsets, with slightly stronger, less-controlled bass.

Sound dropouts do occur, especially if you are holding the iPhone in your hand. It seems to be better when the headset and transmitter are kept at a constant distance, as when I leave the iPhone in my backpack, or in the supplied armband.

Overall, I am happy with my purchase. Motorola has released an 'HD' version of the headset in the US which is identical in shape, but with 'SRS WOW HD technology, better background noise isolation and new side control buttons with improved moisture protection' which I will be checking-out when it become available in this country. For a review of the HD unit visit blog.treonauts.com.------------

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Since its launch in June 2007, I have wanted an iPhone. However, my dislike of its 'tied-in-to-a contractnessness'™, low storage capacity and the lack of Bluetooth stereo support kept me from making the jump from my Nokia E65. However, when the iPhone 3GS was announced, I finally gave in and placed my order.

- It is a beautiful piece of engineering, lovely to look at, hold and use. My only mechanical gripe is the ring/silent switch which has sharp edges and sits just a little too proud from the casing, meaning that it sometimes gets switched to silent when being slid into its case.

- Weight and bulk are bearable, but you do notice its 'pocket-presence'.

- Set-up was fast and painless, apart from the migration of my mobile no. from Vodafone to O2, not sure whose fault it was, but it took 3 days of constant phone calls before I could get reliable mobile internet access.

- The onscreen keyboard is much easier to use than I thought it would be.

- Battery life is an issue. If used fairly constantly, you're looking at a maximum of 7 hours between charges.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Typedia is a community website to classify typefaces and educate people about them. Think of it like a mix between IMDb and Wikipedia, but just for type. Anyone can join, add, and edit pages for typefaces or for the people behind the type.

We love type, and we have a burning desire to learn as much as possible about typefaces: where they come from, who made them, and why they look the way they do. We want everyone to be able to share in that rich knowledge and enjoy the art and artists of type design. Over time, we think Typedia could grow into a great educational resource for people to learn about their favorite typefaces and discover new ones.------------

Friday, August 14, 2009

Taking self-portraits using a compact camera can be tricky: extending your arms far enough so that your nose doesn’t fill the shot, for example. But Samsung may have solved the problem by building a user-facing screen onto it two latest models.

In addition to the ST500’s 3in rear-mounted screen and the ST550’s slightly larger, 3.5in main display, both models have a 1.5in LCD on the front which should help ensure self-portraits are always perfectly framed.------------

You’ll have to own a Sony compact camera in order to use the robotic docking station, which currently is only compatible with the WX1 and DSC-TX1 Cyber-shot cameras.

Party-shot can be mounted on almost any tripod, Sony stressed, so you’ll be able to enjoy lots of varied photographic heights and angles. The dock is powered by two AA batteries, which will keep it going for up to 11 hours.

Sony’s Party-shot dock will be available in September, priced around £88.------------

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I've never watched a Dirty Harry movie. But I know who Dirty Harry is, Clint Eastwood playing a 1970s macho, pragmatic cop with very little respect for petty rules and regulations who has a habit of getting results. Without him there would be no Jack Bauer.

Clint Eastwood (now 78-years-old) has said that Gran Torino is the last film he will act in. And it could have been called 'Redeeming Dirty Harry'.

Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a curmudgeonly, racist, working-class Korean war veteran. The film opens with the funeral of his wife. The camera pans around the church, showing Walt's grief mingled with his obvious lack of respect for many in the congregation.

And from there it moves into what could easily have become a Dirty Harry movie for pensioners. The fact that Clint Eastwood manages to fashion it into a film that champions honour, rough justice, atonement and community is remarkable and heart-warming.

The cast is solid, with special mention going to Christopher Carley as the young, determined Roman Catholic priest who has been given the unenviable task (by Walt's wife) of extracting a confession from Walt.

Choua Kue (Youa) also provides us with an excellent performance as the neighbour who sees that Walt is an honourable, hurting old man, and works very hard to befriend him.

The film is gripping througout, with an ending that is as satisfying as it is unexpected. If this is Mr Eastwood's last movie role, he will have exited with dignity and honour.------------

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Nikon has unveiled the world's first compact camera with a built-in projector. The S1000pj projects images up to 40 inches in size with a VGA resolution and a maximum distance of 2 meters. The camera is supplied with a remote control and stand for ease of use. It features an optically stabilized wide angle 5x zoom lens (28-140mm equiv.), 2.7 inch LCD and a 12.1MP sensor.------------

Friday, August 07, 2009

The BMX bike’s heyday may have ended back in the 80s, but Rintendo+ has found a way to make me want one again. They’re currently selling this little contraption known as the Fire Trick Bob which appears to be a rocket-powered bicycle.

According to their site (Google translation) the turbine engine spins at a rate of 120,000 RPM and produces the equivalent of 4.4 horsepower. The 1 litre fuel tank is good for about 7 minutes of continual thrust, and you’ll probably want to be careful about where you’re riding this thing since the exhaust can reach about 700 degrees.

So is it dangerous? Yes. But is it worth 1,000,000 Yen or about $10,000? Double yes!------------

Thursday, August 06, 2009

I think I have finally found a drink that my daughters will hate even more than beer... it's a 6% proof porter-style beer with coffee flavours!

I found it an enjoyable enough brew, the coffee taste is prominent, but not overpowering. It might have just been the bottle I purchased, but there was no discernable 'head' to the beer, and it was a little too 'flat' (bubble-less) for my taste.

"Our Coffee Beer is made with real coffee and has a caffeine hit to match. The natural flavours of the beans selected and hand roasted by our friends at the Union Coffee Roasters go well with the roast barley in the beer to give a silky-smooth drink with distinct chocolate and vanilla notes."

"Our first formulation of this beer was the first UK brewed beer to carry the Fairtrade logo, and, although we have reformulated it to create an even better blend of malt and roast coffee flavours, we can no longer get enough coffee in each bottle to qualify for Fairtrade status. However we are still using the same Faitrade Araba Bourbon beans from Rwanda’s Abuhuzamugambi Bakawa Co-operative."------------

Woody Allen is someone I know more by reputation than experience. I have still to watch any of his earlier critically acclaimed films (Manhattan, Annie Hall, Crimes & Misdemeanours…) and probably know him better for his stand-up comedy and 'complicated' personal life.

Vicky Christina Barcelona is a superbly acted film, Javier Bardem is like a young, Spanish hybrid of Robert Downey Jr and George Clooney, honest, warm and vulnerable. Rebecca Hall plays her intelligent, uptight character with just the right amount of unease to make her subsequent actions believable without being inevitable. And Scarlett Johansson is far less annoying than she has been in a lot of her recent work.

Kevin Dunn, Chris Messina, Pablo Schreiber and Patricia Clarkson play their parts with aplomb, but the (intentional) star of the show is Penelope Cruz. Gorgeous, dishevelled and mad as a box of frogs, her character is pivotal to the film, fascinating and exasperating by turns.

To talk about the plot of the film would be to ruin it. Instead, put aside 96 minutes of your life and enjoy an example of narrative film-making at its best.------------